Understanding How to Avoid Foodborne Illness at Home

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 48 million Americans get sick from foodborne illness every year. A foodborne illness occurs when you consume contaminated food or beverages. It’s important to understand how to prevent foodborne illness in your home. There are also a few things to keep in mind when grocery shopping.

At the Grocery Store

Always place raw meat, poultry and seafood in plastic bags. This helps prevent any of their juices from dripping onto other items in your cart. If possible, store your meat, poultry or seafood in a specific section of your cart, like a bottom rack or front area.

Check your packaging before buying. If you are buying canned goods, don’t buy a can that has been dented or is bulging. There is a chance it could be contaminated if it’s lost its seal. For other packaging, don’t buy it if it has torn edges, ice crystals or has been opened.

Be aware of how long you are keeping your groceries in your car. Food safety experts say you have a 2 hour window of time between when you pick out your groceries at the store to when you put them away in your home. If the outdoor weather is hot (90 degrees or hotter), you have roughly one hour. Always store your groceries in an air conditioned car vs. a trunk. If you have a long drive ahead of you, consider bringing along a cooler for perishable items.

At Home

Do not keep cooked food at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Instead, refrigerate your cooked and perishable foods promptly.

Always use separate serving platters & kitchen utensils. You would never want to place your cooked meat on the same plate used for raw meat. Same goes for your utensils.

Be aware of your refrigerator temperature. If your temperature goes about 40° F, there is a chance bacteria can start to form.

Understanding proper food handling is crucial for foodborne illness prevention! Knowledge is the first step to keeping yourself, as well as your friends and family members, healthy. For more information, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you have questions about your insurance, call the insurance agents at A-Dependable Insurance Agency. Our local insurance agency can help you insure everything from your home, auto and business insurance. We look forward to working with you and establishing a relationship that lasts a lifetime.

Testimonials

Our car insurance costs were cut in half without cutting our coverage. I couldn’t believe it. I was so impressed with the professionalism & customer service of Devin. Thrilled I found A-Dependable Insurance!
Corinne A.

Costs Cut in Half

I REALLY love A Dependable Insurance Agency!!!! Devin and Ken are always on top of things and looking out for our families best interest in insurance. A Dependable Insurance Agency is the best place to go for your insurance needs!!! Thank you guys for all you have done all these years for me and my family!
Stacy F.

On Top of Insurance!

I called for a quote and was given a quick affordable option. Was not upsold other products I didn’t want. Enjoyed the over the phone and email experience. Thanks A-Dependable Insurance.
Martin E.

Over the Phone and by Email

We are now using A-Dependable for all of our insurance needs. Devin is the greatest to work with. Reliable, courteous, prompt and thorough. I highly recommend A-Dependable and especially Devin. 🙂
Ruth S.

Reliable and Courteous

Staff was very helpful and knowledgeable. Also very flexible with my schedule. Their prices are much better than Allstate. They ensured that I got the best rate and answered all of my questions. Even stated lafter work to assist me with getting my policy started.

Judy H.

I have been using A-Dependable for about 6 years now. There simply are no better agents than Ken and Devin. Top-notch service at an instant. They ALWAYS make sure I am properly covered and with the best value carrier available. I don’t even have to ask, they just make recommendations each year and have lowered my premium several times. Very refreshing!

Matt R.

I’ve used A-Dependable for over 14 years and would never switch. Every time my policy, whether home or auto, comes up for renewal, they ensure I am getting the best rate by shopping their carriers. They add the personal touch to all of their clients and provide an insurance experience second to none.

Travis S.

Love Devin and Ken at A-Dependable. They have always been very helpful and efficient. I have been with them for over 10 years and not one complaint about them. I would definitely recommend using them.

Tamara C.

These guys are super, Went into the office, no waiting, and wanting to lower my insurance, I was able to do so, with A-Dependable Insursurane, , They save me the money!!!! And are very nice, I am very impressed with this company and what they could do for me. I like having a agent, that you can see and speak to and these guys are great. Thank you very much.

Karan C.

Moving from Chicago to Las Vegas, we needed an insurance agent. We were having a difficult time finding a good agent and then we found Kenneth at A-Dependable Insurance Agency. Kenneth was very efficient and found us the best rate for auto insurance. He also gave us the name of a good auto shop to get our Smog test done. Kenneth has a wealth of information and was extremely helpful with our move to Las Vegas. Then, when renting an apartment, we also used Kenneth for our Renter’s insurance. …